Ice melter



June 15, 1965 P. 'r. GIGUERE I OE MELTER .2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 21, 1963 INVENTOR. PAUL T. GIGUERE ATTORNEYS June 15, 1965 P. T. GIGUERE ICE MELTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 21, 1963 INVENTOR PAUL T. GIGUERE Owv AT TO RNEYS United States Patent Filed Mar. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 266,972 3 Claims. (Cl. 126-2711) This invention reiates to a device for melting ice and snow near the rear wheels of an automotive vehicle so as to provide traction for the wheels to the extent of making a start or to get out of a difficult spot. The device hereinafter described is an improvement over that illustrated and described in US. Patent No. 2,515,341, granted July 18, 1950. The primary purpose of the device is to provide as much heat as can be had and to apply it as effectively as possible where ice and snow are to be melted, the melting action being augmented by chemical means such as ordinary rock salt. The device comprises a tube adapted to be attached to the exhaust pipe of a vehicle motor, the other end of the tube communicating with a hood which is adapted to rest on the ground near one of the vehicle wheel so as to direct the hot gases from the exhaust pipe onto the ice or snow beneath the hood. Means for intensifying the melting effect are mounted in the hood. For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the foilowing description thereof, and to the drawings, of which FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of an embodiment of the invention attached to an automobile;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View of the device, on a larger scale;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the hood shown in FIG- URE 2',

FIGURE 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view, partly broken away to show in section, of the joined portions of the exhaust pipe and attached tube shown in FIGURE 1, on a larger scale.

The device as shown in FIGURE 2 comprises a hood which is preferably of a heat resistant material which is not a good conductor of heat, for example, a tetrafluoroethylene polymer (Teflon) or silicone rubber reinforced with glass cloth. This hood is open at the bottom and may be shaped with a flat top 12 having a metal insert 14 so that the hood can also be used as a small stove for cooking. When the device is used for melting ice around the vehicle wheel, the open bottom of the hood allows direct contact of hot gases with the snow or ice on which the hood then rests. These hot gases are brought from the exhaust pipe of an automotive vehicle through a flexible tube 14 of heat resistant material which is not a good heat conductor, and a rigid tube 16 which is detachably secured to the hood 10. The tube 16 communicates with a tube 18 within the hood 16), these tubes being of the same interior diameter. The tube 18 is enlarged as at 20 at its lower portion and supports a surrounding sleeve 22 which is open at both ends. The lower ends of the tube 29 and sleeve 22 are cut oii at an angle so that their lower ends are parallel to the ground. This provides for an initial impact of the stream of gases entering through tube 18 on the ground immediately under the end of the enlarged portion 20. This end is spaced above the ground so that the gases can flow around and up again through the sleeve 22 into the interior of the hood 10. The hooddirects the flow again to the surface of the snow and ice on which the hood rests. The gases ultimately escape through a discharge pipe 24 which opens out through a side wall of the hood near the bottom thereof.

3,189,021 Patented June 15, 1965 Means are provided to intensify the melting eilect of the stream of gases entering the hood through the tube 18. For this purpose, two cartridges and 32 are inserted in the enlarged portion 20 of the tube. These cartridges are hollow cylinders having an inner wall 34 which is of coarse wire netting so as to hold the contents of the cartridges in contact with the gas stream without obstructing the flow of the gas, the diameter of the inner wall 34 being preferably equal to the inner diameter of the tube 16. Within the cartridge 30 is a catalyst adapted to oxidize carbon monoxide at high temperatures. Such catalysts are well known and may comprise an oxide of a metal or metals of the group comprising copper, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel or platinum and palladium. The oxidizing reaction i exothermic so that additional heat is provided for the gas stream by this reaction.

The cartridge 32 may contain rock salt. The gas stream, which contains a certain amount of water vapor, takes up some of this salt in passing and discharges it against the ice or snow beneaththe end of the pipe 13, the salt intensifying the melting effect of the gas stream which impinges on the snow or ice. Since the salt in the cartridge 32 is consumed by the gas stream which passes through it, the cartridge is made easily replaceable in the enlarged portion 20 of the tube 18, a suitable clip 35 being provided to hold the cartridges in the enlarged portion 28 of the tube 18.

For more effective operation of the device, the stream of gases from the exhaust pipe may be additionally heated by any one of a number of devices such, for example, as a thin strip or" resistance metal in the form of a spiral coil it which is connected by suitable wiring 42 to the electrical system of the automobile. This spiral coil is preferably in an enlarged portion 44 of the pipe 16 so as not to reduce the cross-sectional area of the duct carrying the stream of gases coming from the exhaust pipe.

To permit getting as close as possible to a vehicle, wheel, the hood 10 may have a portion of its side wall concaved as at 46.

For convenience in quickly coupling the flexible tube 14 to the exhaust pipe 59 of an automobile, a metal or plastic tube 52 may be fitted into or be a part of the end portion of the tubular member 14, the end portion 54 thereof being slightly tapered so as to fit into exhaust pipe orifices of diflerent sizes. The tapering portion 54 is perforated as at 56 so that the stream of gases through the exhaust pipe will not be hindered by the smaller diameter of its end. To prevent escape of exhaust gases through the perforations 56 which are outside of the exhaust pipe when the tapering portion 54 is thrust into the end of the exhaust pipe, a sleeve 60 of some heat resistant flexible material, such as silicone rubber, is slidably fitted on the portion of the tubular member 14 next to the tapering portion so as to extend over at least some of the tapering portion 54, this sleeve being flared as at 62 to facilitate its being telescoped over the end of the exhaust pipe 50.

I claim:

1. A device for melting snow and ice, comprising a hood of poor heat-conducting material, said hood having an open bottom, a tubular member of poor heat-conducting material communicating With said hood and adapted to be connected to the exhaust pipe of a vehicle motor, and means within said hood for intensifying the melting effect of the stream of gases flowing from the tubular member into the hood, said means including a cartridge removably mounted in said hood and containing sodium chloride exposed-to contact by the gases in said stream.

2. A device for melting snow and ice as described in claim 1, said intensifying means also including catalyst material exposed to the gases in said stream for oxidizing carbon monoxide in the stream.

3. A device for melting snow and ice as described in 1,532,945 4/25 Quigle 126-195 claim 2, and an electrical heating unit in aid device en- 1,877,523 9/ 32 Gordon 23-277 gaged by the stream of gases before it reaches said catalyst 1,985,713 12/ 34 Bartlett 23-2883 material. 7 v 2,038,567 4/36 Iitner 23-277 7 7 2,467,922 4/49 \lVeytal et a1 285-8 References CW1 by we Examiner I 2,505,311 4/50 Vinnick 126-271.1'X

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,515,341 7/50 Giguere 126-2711 2 789 841 4/57 Kramer 285-177 1,062,655 5/13 Macleod 126-2712 1,256,301 *2/18 Ems 2,832,331 4/58 Schwank 126-92 1,259,029 2/18 Lucke 158-99 10 JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Prim Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR MELTING SNOW AND ICE, COMPRISING A HOOD OF POOR HEAT-CONDUCTING MATERIAL, SAID HOOD HAVING AN OPEN BOTTOM, A TUBULAR MEMBER OF POOR HEAT-CONDUCTING MATERIAL COMMUNICATING WITH SAID HOOD AND ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO THE EXHAUST PIPE OF A VEHICLE MOTOR, AND MEANS WITHIN SAID HOOD FOR INTENSIFYING THE MELTING EFFECT OF THE STREAM OF GASES FLOWING FROM THE TUBULAR MEMBER INTO THE HOOD, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A CARTRIDGE REMOVABLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOOD AND CONTAINING SODIUM CHLORIDE EXPOSED TO CONTACT BY THE GASES IN SAID STREAM. 